Post-hole auger



(No Model.

B. KNOPP. Post Hole Angers.

rrn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN KNOPP, OF BLOOMVILLE, OHIO.

POST-HOLE AUGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,041, dated September '7, 1880. Application filed June 18, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom may it concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN KNoPP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bloomville, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Post-Hole Angers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates, principally, to that class of post-hole borers in which oppositelybladed wings are driven by a centering handle or pole attached thereto; and the object of myimprovements is to provide means forfirml y bracing the handle to the wings and for se curely seating the adjustable cutting-bits, and while so doing to preserve the utmost simplicity of construction. The construction used to carry out these objects will be hereinafter fully described, and the improvements pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figurel represents a perspective of a post-hole auger embracing my invention; Fig. 2, a top view; Fig. 3, a section on the line x x of Fig. 2; Fig. 4., a section on line 3 3 of that figure; Fig. 5, a detail of one of the plates which carry the bits; and Fig. 6, a sectional detail, showing the manner of fastening the hand cross piece or bar to the centering-ham dle.

The two plates A A, which carry the bits or cutters B B, are cast with top raised ledges, a a a a and b b, the former producing a bracing recess for the reception of the connectingbar 0, and acting also as stop-shoulders for the bits B to bear against, while the latter act merely as shoulders for said bits.

By reason of the connecting-bar O resting in the bearing-recess formed by the raised ledges a, one screw 0 is only required to fasten each one of the platesA to the bar (I, and thus to the centering-handle D, as will be presently described, and this connecting-bar is not only securely held, but thoroughly and securely braced against the severe lateral pressure. N 0 strain whatever is upon the fastening-screws c 0 except in lifting out the dirt; but in the act of boring the strain is alldistributed against the shouldered ledges a, as above described. This connecting-bar O has a raised curved portion, M, bridging the transverse space between the plates A A, and within which the bits work, and is provided with a screw-threaded opening, into and through which the centering-rod is screwed to fasten it. This bridge M is sufficiently high to permit the passage of dirt.

The oppositely-placed cutters or bits B B rest upon and are fastened by single screws f to down wardl y-inclined seats 9 g of said plates, and are securely shouldered against the beforedescribed ledges a b, and as these ledges a 1) form an intervening shallow valley, k, the tops of the cutters are beveled at Z l, to form a flush continuation and permit the free flow of the dirt into said valley.

It will be observed that only four screws or rivets are required in all the fastening of the boring parts.

The cutting-bits are removable, and may be interchanged or reversed when desired.

It is well understood that during the progress of boring the anger is raised and the dirt dumped from time to time, more frequently in wet ground than in dry.

The cross-bar K of the centering-handle is prevented from turning, or, rather, caused to turn with said handle, by reason of a square shoulder, m, on the centering'handle, over which the square socket 0 of a casting, n, fits, and through which casting the said centeringhandle passes. This casting has a concave seat for the cross-bar of the handle, and the device is secured by a nut, 19, and concave washer r, as shown. By this device the crossbar is not only prevented from splitting, but is firmly held as a fixture of the handle.

The centering-point 00 extends below the plates to maintain the centering of the auger.

I claim- 1. In a post-hole auger, the plates AA,provided with the ledges a a a a, forming a bearin g-recess, in combination with the connectingbar 0, secured in said recess, and the centering-handle, substantially as described.

2. In a post-hole anger in which are combined, as described, the plates A A, provided with the ledges a a a a, forming a bearingrecess, a centering-handle and a connectingbar, 0, the said connecting-bar 0 having the curved bridge M, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a posthole anger, the plates A A,p'rovided with downwardly-inclined seats 9 and shoulders formed by raised ledges a b for the 2 esaom bits B, secured by single screws and having In testimony whereof I have hereunto set abearing against said shoulders, substantially my hand in the presence of two subscribing 10 as set forth. witnesses.

4. In a post-hole auger, the valleys 7c in the BENJAMIN KNOPP. 5 plates A, between the raised ledges a b, in

combination with the inclined seats g and the Witnesses: bits B, beveled at l, substantially as and for JOHN ANDREWS, the purpose set forth. WILLIAM STEWART. 

